New Year’s Greetings_President : Kyoei Wakabayashi

Message

As we welcome a new year, I hope this message finds you all in continued good health and spirits.

On behalf of Shanti Volunteer Association, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who have continued to watch over and support our activities both in Japan and overseas.

In recent years, the world has seen an increasing frequency of disasters—both natural and human-made. The Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which struck on New Year’s Day last year, was one such event. Shanti promptly initiated emergency response efforts, and in September, the region was again hit by severe flooding. The grief and hardship faced by those affected is beyond imagination. We remain committed to walking alongside them as much as we can this year as well.

Our overseas offices have also been engaged in emergency humanitarian assistance in response to heavy rains exacerbated by climate change.
Despite these challenges, we are seeing steady progress in our education and cultural support activities, with valuable knowledge now being shared across countries under the banner of “All Shanti.”

Meanwhile, as the world’s attention shifts from one conflict to another, we are deeply concerned that many people in vulnerable situations are being forgotten—leading to a dangerous decline in international support.
At SVA, we are dedicated to building a global society where every person can live with dignity. Turning our backs on those in hardship would be a betrayal of our founding principles.

In 2025, we will continue to listen to the voices of people in the communities we serve, sharing in their lives and learning together.

We sincerely thank you for your continued support this year.